Island



(No Model.)

s. "BURTON. MANUFACTURE OF SEWED GARMBNTS.

Patented July 21, 1891.

FIG.

FIGJI'- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STOCKTON BORTON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE IVILLCOXdz GIBBS SEVING MACHINE (.OMIANY, Ol! NEW YORK, N. Y.

MANUFACTURE OF SEWED GARMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,468, dated July 21,1891.

Application filed May 24, 1890. Serial No. 353,042. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STOCKTON HORTON, of Providence, in the county ofProvidence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in the Manufacture of Garments and other Articles, whichimprovement is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention has particular reference to the manufacture of garmentsand other articles from loopedor knitted fabric; but it may also beapplied to the manufacture of similar articles from woven or otherfabric.

The object of the invention is the formation of a strong and durableseam, uniting the cut edges of the fabric in such manner as to produceno objectionable ridge or welt, the characteristics of the seam beingsuch that it may be applied to all parts of articles-such as undershirtsand the like-which, for the comfort of thewearer, must be made with flatseams.

The difiiculty of uniting the raw out edges of knitted fabric by seamsthat are both flat and at the same time strong and secure againstraveling is well known to manufacturers and need not here be set forthin detail. Reference may, however, be made to the application ofChristina P. Borton, filed April 22, 1890, Serial No. 348,977, formanufacture of articles from looped or knitted fabric, in which theprocedure commonly followed to secure these ends is pointed out.

According to the present in vention, the desired result is effected byfirst forming close to and within the cut edge a line of stitches on anysuitable sewing-machine, preferably one provided with a trimmingattachment. Both the edges to be joined are treated in this way, thestitches acting to secure the loops of the knit fabric and preventraveling, and also serving as a stay or anchorage (which is their mainfunction) for the stitches by which the two pieces of fabric aresubsequently united. The pieces so prepared are then placed edge toedge, forming a butt-joint, and are in this position guided through amachine, making a zigzag or other suitable stitch in such manner thatthe stitches extend over and beyond the lines of the stay or anchoragestitches.

The accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, may bereferred to for a clearer understanding of the invention.

Figure I is a top plan view, on an enlarged scale, showing the manner ofuniting the pieces of cut knit fabric; and Fig. II is a view inperspective showing two pieces of ordinary or woven fabric united inaccordance with the invention.

In both figures, 6 represents the pieces of fabric to be sewed together,and f the lines of stitches by which the holding-stitches are stayed oranchored. These stitches f are formed a short distance within the edgeby means of any suitable sewing-machine; but preference is given to amachine forming a chain-stitch. The pieces are then placed edge to edgewithout overlapping and are fed through a machine making a zigzag orother suitable stitch, as represented by the line g. The threads formingthe stitches 9 cross back and forth on both sides of the fabric over theline of separation, the distance apart transversely of these stitchesbeing so gaged that the extremities of each extend beyond theanchoring-stitches f on the two pieces 6, respectively, as clearly shownin the drawings. Consequently any force tending to pull out the stitchesg by which the pieces of fabric are held together is resisted by thelines of stitches f.

In uniting the two pieces of fabric provided with theiranchoring-stitches I preferably use a single or double threadzigzag-machine, but do not limit myself to such use, inasmuch as it isfeasible to employ other machines-as, for example, a two-needle machineadapted to interlace the threads across the line of separation on bothsides of the fabric.

Having now fully described my said invention, I wish it to be understoodthat I do not claim, broadly, the manufacture of garments and otherarticles by forming along or near the edge of garments to be united aline of sewing-machine stitches and uniting such edges by another lineof stitches interlocking with the stitches first produced, such beingthe subject-matter of the application above referred to. My improvementconsists in that specific form of seam of the same general character, inwhich staying or anchoring stitches are placed a short distance withinthe edge in contradistinctiou to an artificial selvage formed on theedge, the two edges being connected by a line of zigzag or other suitable stitches.

It will further be understood that while I specially claim an article ofcut knitted fabric, to which the invention is particularly ap--plicable, it may be usefully applied to articles made of other fabric,and such would be included Within the invention.

' I therefore claim as my invention- 1. In the manufacture of articlessuch as garments, the improvement consisting in forming within and nearthe flat out edge of each of the pieces of fabric to be united acontinuous line of stitches, placing the pieces edge to edge, anduniting them by an independent line of zigzag or other suitable stitchescrossin g back and forth over the meeting edges and passing through thefabrics at points beyond the stitches first produced, thereby forming afiat seam without fold, ridge; 'or welt, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with two pieces of cutknit goods having their edgesabutted, of a continuous line of anchorage-stitches a short distancewithin each cut edge, and an independent line of stitches crossing backand forth over the meeting edges and passing through the fabric atpoints beyond the line of anchoragestitches, thereby uniting the meetingedges of the fabric in a flat seam, substantiallyas described. i

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses. V

STOCKTON BORTON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES I'IAVENS, JosEPH B. CURTIS.

